Printing-surface and process of producing same.



Patented miv. 6, |900.

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

C G R A S S E R.

PRINTING SURFACE AND PRUCESS 0F PRODUCING SAME.

(Application led May 12, 1899.)

(No Model.)

Ffa

WiTNESSES:

N0. 66u42.4 Patented Nov. s, |900.

cqlmsslan.

PRINTING SURFACE AND PROCESS DF PRODUGING SAME. application med my 1`2, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ffy@

WITNESSES:

UNITED .STATESv 'PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GRASSER, OF PASSAIQNEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T O THE AMERICAN LITHOGRAPHIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PRINTING-SURFACE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,142, dated November 6, 1900.

Application filed may 12,1899. serial 1t. 716.481. (No man.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES GRAssER, acit-izen of the United States, and a resident of Passaic, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful .Improvements in Printing-Surfaces and Process of Prod ncing the Same, of which the following is av specification.

This invention relates to-printing-surfaces 1o and to a process for producing the same.

The -invention seeks, among other things; to produce a curved and preferably cylindrical metallic printing-surface adapted andl designed to be used in a rotary printing-press,

I5 one that shall be capable of receivinga lithographictransfer and be capable of` development into a printing-surface by an etching process or a process which includes etching and one that may be securely and removablyl 2o mounted in an accurate and predeterminedA position on a supporting-cylinder in v`a printing-press.

The invention also seeks to produce a printin g-sn rface of the character described at small z5 cost and to produce a printing-surface'y by a. process which may be 'carriedout conveniently and economically and resulting in a substantial] y exact and perfect surface in its lcurvature and evenness and without requiring to 3o be ground or turned.

These and other objects, with their attendant ad vantages, collectively and separately, are sought by the invention.

Zinc is the metal most desirable for the printing-surface. Difficulties have been encountered, however, in forming suitable curved or cylindrical printing-surfaces of this metal, because it is too short to admit of its beingdrawn like copper and at the same time 4o secure a surface suiiiciently free from blemishes-and great diiculties present themselves for the same reason when it is attempted to cast a zinc printing-surface. By the process herein described, however, a curved or cylindrical printing-surface of zinc or other suitable metalmay be made suitable for its purpose and at moderate cost.

In carrying out the-process a sheet of metal of proper thickness is rolled or otherwise 5o bent into a curved or cylindrical shape and incascd within a casting-chamber having a Y curved or cylindrical interior accurately formed. Fluid metal is then cast on the in` sideof the curved metallic sheet and the two metals are caused to a'dhere, the cast metal 55 forming a rigid backing for the metallic sheet, which is thereby retained in permanent curved or cylindrical shape, the metallicsheet constitutingthe surface for the printing. By this process cylindrical tubes mayhem-ade of 6o any required size -say ten or twelve inches or more in diameter and three or four feet or more in length-and the thickness of the sheet, metal, if desired, need not be greater than a sixteenth of an inch and the cast-metal interior need not be more than one-fourth of an inch in diameter. By the use of the metallic sheet all structural blemishes on thc exterior surface are avoided. Moreover, by the use of a proper core the interior of the tube'orcyl- 7o inder may be accurately formed and tapered, if desired,so as to 'exactly fit a supportingcylinder in a printing-press, and this may be accomplished in the ca'stingiand without the necessity of resorting to the diicult anddelicate'proccss-of boring ont the tube.. Theinvention consistsin a printing-su rface having the characteristics herein set forth and also in ,the process for producing a printing-surface as herein set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of' this invention, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an apparatus generally employedin carrying out the process. Fig. 2 is a transversesection Aon the line 2 2 of Fig. l. 85 Fig. 3 is a plan view of a detail of said apparatus. Fig. Atis a side elevation of a tubular cylindrical 'printing-surface embodying part of the invention. Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively a longitudinal an'd a transverse section 9o of the printing-surface shown in Ifig.4 4. In carrying out the process of the invention Vthe apparatus shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is preferably employed and will first be briey described. This apparatus is not herein sp'e- 95 ciiically claimed, because it forms the sub-- ject of a separate application executedv by me of even date herewith which in the form shown is particularly designed for use in making cylindrical andtub'u lar cylindrical printroo ing-surfaces. p v

1 is a casting-chamber having a cylindrical I interior substantially perfect in curvature and evenness and having the anges 2 and 3, between which the cylinder is longitudinally split. The casting-chamber has a removable top or cap 4, in which is secured an eyebolt 5,.to which the hoisting-tackle 6 may be attached for raising and lowering the casting-4V chamber.

7 is a cylindrical receptacle for holding fluid metal and consisting of the two hinged halves 8 and 9. This receptacle is open at its top and is adapted to support the loweropen end of the casting-chamber 1. A piston 10 forms the bottom of the receptacle 7 and is carried ony a threaded piston-rod 1l, mounted on a suitable support 12. This piston-rod has longitudinal movement, but is held from rotation. turns a gear-wheel 14, meshing with a gearwheel 15, internally threaded and loose on the piston-rod 11. When the printing-surface is to be made in tubular form, the removable core 16, generally cylindrical on its exterior surface, is centered within the casting-chamber 1. This core isclosed at its bottom, on which it has a central pin 17.

18 is a plate having a central hole to fit on the piu 17, and the peripheral projection 19, adapted to contact with the interior of the casting-chamber and center the lower end of the core 17. The upper e'nd of the core is centered in the chamber 1 by the flange 2O on the 'cap 4. A movable asbestos lining 2l for the interior of the receptacle 7 is generally employed to prevent the fluid metalfrom chilling and to form a packing around the piston.

The steps of the process will now be described. A sheet of zinc or other suitable metal accurately cut to the required size is formed, as by bending or otherwise flexing, into a curved shape, Assn ming that the printing-surface is to be a complete cylindrical tube, the sheet will be of such size that when formed into cylindrical shape it will be able to exactly t the interior of the castingchamber 1, with its edges firmly abutting each other. The cap 4 of the casting-chamber having been removed and the castingchamber having been sprung open vat the longitudinal slit between the flanges 2 and 3, so as to enlarge its interior, the cylindrical metallic sheet is inserted lengthwise through the open upper end of the casting-chamber. The core 16 is then inserted', the cap 4 is fastened in place, and the plate 18 is fixed on the lower end of the core. The anges 2 and 3 are then brought tightly together and made secure by bolts, thisoperation bringing the edges of the incased metallic sheet together in irm contact and causing the sheet to exactly and snugly fit and ill the interior surface of the chamber 1. This chamber, which is made of metal,is then putinto an oven and raised to about 500'Fahrnheit, after which it is centered over the receptacle 7 and bolted thereto. The receptacle 7, having been previously It is actuated by a hand-wheel l3,which filled with a. suitable 'uid metal, preferably type-metal,A britannia metal, or some other suitable metal or composition of metal that has little or no contraction in cooling from the melting-point to the solidifying -point, the hand-wheel 13 is turned and the piston rises, thereby forcing the iinid metal up into the tubular space betweenI the core and the metal sheet, the air within the casting-chamber rising through the vent-tube 22. The cast metal is caused to adhere to the metallic sheet by any suitable means-such, for example, as

Vany of ihe various means known to those skilled in the metal-workers art-fbut preferably this adherence is accomplished by coating the inner surface of the metallic sheet `with tin or solder before the sheet is put into the casting-chamber. This metallic coating is melted by the hot cast metal and on cooling unites the outer sheet and interior cast body in one integral solid body.` As the'uid metal rises from the receptacle' 7 it enters the castingchamber through an `annular gate formed between the periphery of the plate 1S and the interior of the casting-chamber. This gate is in line with the cylindrical receptacle 7 and permits and causes the metal to riscin the casting-chamber equally over the inner surface of the metallic sheet, the gate admitting a continuous stream of metal of exactly the same dimension and form as the space within the casting-chamber. When the cast metal has solidified, the casting-chamber is nnconpled from the receptacle 7 and the surplus metal still remaining in the receptacle is removed. The cap 4 of the Icasting-chainber is then removed .and the bolts through the flanges 2 and 3 are loosened.l The cylindrical tube then becomesfreeand may be easily vithdrawn,and the head or surplus metal re laining thereon may be removed. The core 16 is then withdrawn from the completed cylinder. The curved or cylindrical printing-surface after it is thus made may subsequently have a design imposed thereon bya suitable process', so as to be ready fol-'use in printing. In imposing this design the lithographie method vof transferring is preferably employed, the

design being then generally developed partly or entirely by etching.

Referring nowV to that part of the present invention'existing as a product or article of manufacture, Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent the preferred form of aprinting-surface embodying this part of the invention. 23 is 'an exterior curved sheetof zinc or other suitable metal adapted and designed to have a design imposed thereon. The design is generally imposed bytransferring in the lithographie manner and is then developed partly or entirely by etching. 24 is a curved inner body of metalto which the sheet 23 is firmly and solidly secured and forms a backing. for the sheet23. The sheet23 and body 24 are united into a unit-ary structure by fusion, a coating of tin o'r solder being preferably employed for this purpose and being interposed between IOC IIO

bind the two together.

er'ably a complete cylinder, with the sheet 23 Aentirely surrounding the body and havingits 1edges meeting in close contact.

the sheet and body 24 andlfused so as to The body 24 is prefform the structure is hollow or tubular. This tube is preferably formed with anA internal taper, as shown, so that it may be easily forced onto and securely and removably held on a correspondingly-shaped supporting-cylinder of a printing-press or other machine designed to work with or upon the printingsurface. Moreover, the curved or cylindrical printing-surface is generally formed with internal ribs 25, whereby the printing-surface may be always mounted in the same predetermined position on its supporting-cylinder which Iwould have a corresponding recess. Of course instead of the ribs 25 aeorresponding recess could be formed on the interior of the -p'ignting-surface for the same purpose as the r1 s.

When the printing-surface is formed by thel process above described .and which consti tutes a part of this invention, the bore or curved interior and the ribs or recesses will generally be formedby casting. The sheet 23 preferably consists of zine of such characy ter' as is now used in flat sheet form in 'the lithographie art.

,What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent, is.-

1. The process of making a curved printing-surface adapted and designed to bedeveloped in the, lithographie manner, which consists in bending o r iiexing asheet of suitable metal into a curved form, casting Huid metal on the interior thereof and causingthev cast metal to adhere to the inner surface of said curved sheet, and then transferringa design to said sheet-metal surface and developing it into a surface of the chai-acte desired. e

,2. The process of making'ga curved zine printing-surface, which consists in bending or flexing a sheet of zine into a"eurved form, casting fluid metal on the interior-thereof and causing the cast metal to adhere to the inner surface of the said curved sheet-zinc, and then transferring a design to said sheetzine surface and 4developing it into' a printing-surface of the character desired. y

.3. The process of making a curved sheetmetal printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed inthe lithographie manner, which consists in arranging a sheet of suitable, metal in a mold having a curved interior so'that said sheet is supported in curved .form by the interior of the mold, lcasting uid metal onthein'ner surface of said sheet within the mold and causing the `cast metal to adhere tothe surface of the curved sheet, and then transferring a design to said cnr-ved sheet-metal surface and developing it'into a printing-surface of the character desired.

4. The process of making a curved zine printing-surface which consists in bending/or" In the best flexing a sheet of zinc into alen'rved form,

casting li u id metal on the interior thereof and causing the cast metal to adhere to the inner surface of the said curved-sheet-'zincfand then imposing a design upon said zinc sheet.

. 5. The process of making a curved print ing-surface adapted and designed to be developed in the lithographie manner, which consists in bending or flexing asheet of suitcasting fiuid' metal on the interior thereof,

and causing the cast metal to adhere to the inner surface of the said curved sheet-zineto form a rigid 'backing therefor and thereby maintain said sheet-zinc'in permanent curved form, and then transferring a design to said sheet-zinc surface" anddeveloping it into a printing-surface of'the character desired.

7. The process of making a curved sheetmetal printing-surface adapted and designed to be .developed in the lithographie manner,

which consists in arranging a sheet of suitable metal in a mold having a curved interior so that said sheet is supported in curved-form ILO by the interior of the mo1d,easting Huid metal I onA the `inner surface of said sheet withinv the mold and causing the east metal to adhere to ythe surfaceof the curved sheet to form a rigid i backing therefor and thereby maintain said curved sheet in permanent curved form, and then transferring: a design to said eurve'd sheet-metalsurfaee and developing it into a printing-surface of the character desired.

IKO

'8. The process of `making a curved print i ing-surface adapted and designed to' bedeveloped in a lithographie manner-,which consists ian bending or flexing asheet of suitable metal into a curved form, casting duid metal under pressure on the interior thereof and causing the east metal to adhere to the inner surface ofy said curved sheet to form la-rigid backing therefor and thereby maintain said curved sheet in permanent curved forni, and then transferring a design to said sheet-metal surface and developing itintoa face of the character desired.

9. The process of-,making a curved zinc printing-surface which consists inlbending or flexing a sheet of lzncnto a curved form, Acasting iiuid m etal ltitiller' pressure on the interior thereof'and causing the cast metal to adhere to theinnerdsurfaee ofthesaid curved sheet-zinc, and then imposinga'designnpon said zine sheet.'

10. The process of making`a'eurved zine printing-surface which consists in bendin;. 1:orV

Iiexing a sheet of zinc into a curved form,

casting fluid metal under pressure on the interior thereof and causing the cast metal .to adhere to the inner surface of the said curved sheet-zinc to form a rigid backing therefor and thereby maintain said sheet-zinc in permanent curved form, and then transferring a design to said sheet-metal surface and developing it into a printing-surface of the character desired.

11. The process of making a curved sheetmetal printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed in the lithographie manner, which consists in' arranging a sheet of suitable 4metal 'in a mold having a curved interior so that said sheet is supported in curved form by the interior of the mold, casting fluid metal under pressure on the inner surface of said sheet Within the 4mold and causing the cast metal to adhere to the surface of the curved sheet to form a rigid backing therefor and thereby maintain said curved sheet in permanent curved form, and then transferring a design to said curved sheet-metal surface and developing it into a printing-surface of the character desired.

12. The process of making a curved sheetmetal printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed in a lithographie manner, which consists in arranging a'sheet of suitable metal in a mold having an inner core and having a curved interior so that the said sheet is supported in curved form by the interior of the mold, casting Huid metal between the inner surface of said sheet and said core with` in the mold and causingthe castmetal to adhere to the inner surface of the curved sheet to form a rigid backing therefor and thereby maintain said curved sheet in permanent curved form, and. then transferring a design to said curved sheet metal and developing itv into a printing-surface of the character desired.

13.-- The process of making a hollow cylindrical sheet-metal printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed in a lithographie manner, which consists in arranging a sheet of suitable metal in a mold having an inner removable core and having a cylindrical interior so that said sheet is supported in cylindrical'form by the interior of the mold, casting fluid metal under pressure between the inner surface of said sheet metal and the core within the mold and lcausing the cast metal to adhere to the inner surface 4of the cylindrical sheet toform a rigid backing therefor and thereby maintain said cylindrical sheet in permanent cylindrical form.

14.-. The process of making a hollow cylindrical sheet-zinc printing-surface which consists in arranging a sheet of zinc in a mold having an inner removable core and a cylindrical interior so that said sheet is supported in cylindrical form by the interior of the mold, casting iluidmetal Linder pressure between the inner surface| of said zinc sheet and the core within the mold and causing the cast sheet of zinc in a mold having an inner re'l movable tapering core, and a cylindrical interior so that said sheet is supported in cylindrical form by the interior of the mold, casting fluid metal under pressure between the inner surface of said zinc sheet and the core within the mold and causing the cast metal to adhere to the inner surface of the cylindrical zinc sheet to form a rigid backing thereL `for and thereby maintain said cylindrical zinc sheet in permanent cylindrical form.

l 6. A curved printing-surface, adapted and designed to be developed in the lithographie manner, comprising an exterior surface-of suitable sheet metal bent or flexed in proper shape, and a curved metal backing permanently united to the said sheet metal by fusion, so that the backing and sheet metal become integral, said sheet metal being held in its curved form by the backing and being developed or partly developed by etching.

17. A curved printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed in the lithographie manner, comprising an exterior surface of sheet-zinc bent or iiexed in proper shape, and a curved metal backing permanently united to the said sheet-zinc by fusion so that the backing and sheet-zinc become integral, said sheet-zinc being held in its curved form by the backing and being developed or partly developed by etching.

18. A cylindrical printing-surface adapted to be developed in the lithographie manner, comprising an exterior surface of suitable sheet metal, bent or flexedV into a cylindrical shell, the edges of said sheet being brought into contact with each other, and a cylindrical `metal backing permanently united to said shell by fusion, so that the backing and shell become integral, said shell being developed or partly developed by etching.

19. A cylindrical printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed in the lithographic manner, comprising an exterior surface of sheet-zinc, bent or flexed into a cylindrical shell, the edges of said sheet being brought into contact with each other, and a cylindrical metal backing permanently united -to said shell by fusion, so that the backing and shell become integral, said shell being developed or partly developed by etch ing.

20. A hollow cylindrical vprinting-surface adapted and designed to be developed in the lithographie manner, comprising an exterior surface of suitable sheet metal, bent or flexed into a cylindrical shell, the edges of said sheet being brought into contact with each other, and a hollow cylindrical metal 'back- IOO TIO

said backing operating to ing permanently united to the said cylindrical shell byy fusion so that the backing andsheetmetal become integral, said backing operating to maintain said bent sheet in its cylindrical form.'

21. A hollow cylindrical printing-surface adapted and designed to be developed'in the lithograph-ic manner, comprising an exterior surface of sheet-zinc bent or flexed into a cylindrical shell, the edges of said sheet being brought into contact with each other, and a hollow cylindrical metal backing havinga tapering bore permanently united to the said cylindrical shell by fusion so that the backing and sheet-zinc shell shall become-integral, maintain said bent sheet in its cylndrical,form. I

22. A hollow cylindrical printing-surface comprising an exterior surface of sheet-zinc bent or flexed into a cylindrical' shell, and a hollow tapering cylindrical metal backing having a tapering bore .permanently yunited to said cylindrical shell by fusion, so that the backing and sheet-zinc shell become integrah` said backing operating to maintain said Abent sheet in its cylindrical form and having internal ribs or equivalentineans forA mounting'` ing-form which consists in arrangin'gawsh'eet of suitable metal, bent or fiexed into a curved form, within a mold having a curved interior sothat said sheet accurately fits the interior of the mold and is thereby supported. in

curvedv form; casting'fluid metal on the in-4 ner surface of the cuxrved sheet and causing .the cast metal to adhere thereto and form a rigid backing for the curved sheet and thereby maintain it in permanent curved form, and then'imposinga design upon the exterior surface of the curved sheet metal.

In `testimony whereof I have signed 'my name tothis specification in the two subscribing witnesses.

v- ICHARLES GnAssER.

Witnesses'.

GEO.' H. BARNES,

EDWIN S'EGER.

presence of 

